FIRST IMPRESSIONS: ALED JONES
What are you working on at the moment?
A tour and an album. But most of the work is on White Christmas, Irving Berlin’s musical on at the Dominion Theatre, which I’m starring in.
When are you at your happiest?
Either at home, behind closed doors with just the family, with nothing to do except maybe watch trash on television together, or on holiday in the pool with the children.
What is your greatest fear?
At the moment it would be forgetting my dance steps in White Christmas, in the middle of a huge number. But, I suppose, as with everyone, it’s that my children or a loved one gets ill.
What is your earliest memory?
Being at my nan’s house and standing on her kitchen table with her, playing the piano in a kind of Les Dawson-esque fashion and singing hymns. I must have been three and I was singing these Welsh hymns while dancing on the kitchen table.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
Sometimes, after a glass of wine, I look at things negatively instead of positively, but most of the time I’m a really positive person.
Who has been your greatest influence?
As a choirboy it would have been the choirmaster at Bangor Cathedral, and then I had two private teachers. As an adult the greatest influence would be my wife – she’s always there in the good and bad times and she’s very down to earth. She just tells me to get on with it. Maybe sometimes that’s what I need – a kick up the backside.
What is your most treasured possession?
I don’t want to say my children because they’re not my possessions really; I’m just looking after them until they are big enough to go into the big world. I don’t suppose I’ve got a treasured possession.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Cut-throat ambition.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
At the moment it’s not too bad because I’ve lost about two stone.
What is your favourite book?
I’m in my Lee Child’s Jack Reacher phase.
What is your favourite film?
Brief Encounter and the Godfather films.
And your favourite piece of music?
My favourite classical music would be Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony, 2nd movement. My favourite album when I was a teenager was Deacon Blue’s Raintown; I probably did all my adolescent snogging to that one. As for a modern piece, it would be the music of Irving Berlin.
What is your favourite meal?
I’m a massive fan of Chinese food. A very close second would be proper roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
Judi Dench, Arsène Wenger, the late Cliff Morgan and Terry Wogan.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
In my game you get a lot of people who feel, especially with social media, that it’s all right to say things like ‘You’re rubbish’.
What is your secret vice?
Wine. Both red and white. I love my wine.
Do you write thank-you notes?
I do, yes.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘That’s fantastic’ or ‘Amazing’ or something like that.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
At the moment I wish I had had dance lessons when I was six years old as opposed to starting at 30. But to be honest, I’m happy with my lot. If someone slipped £10m into my pocket, of course I’m sure that would enhance the quality of my life, but I’m more than happy with how things are.
Tell us one thing people might not know about you.
I can down a pint in four seconds. I also used to play county tennis.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘He really did like Christmas, honest’.
White Christmas runs until 3 January 2015 at the Dominion Theatre, London W1: 0845-200 7982, www.whitechristmasmusical.co.uk
A tour and an album. But most of the work is on White Christmas, Irving Berlin’s musical on at the Dominion Theatre, which I’m starring in.
When are you at your happiest?
Either at home, behind closed doors with just the family, with nothing to do except maybe watch trash on television together, or on holiday in the pool with the children.
What is your greatest fear?
At the moment it would be forgetting my dance steps in White Christmas, in the middle of a huge number. But, I suppose, as with everyone, it’s that my children or a loved one gets ill.
What is your earliest memory?
Being at my nan’s house and standing on her kitchen table with her, playing the piano in a kind of Les Dawson-esque fashion and singing hymns. I must have been three and I was singing these Welsh hymns while dancing on the kitchen table.
What do you most dislike about yourself?
Sometimes, after a glass of wine, I look at things negatively instead of positively, but most of the time I’m a really positive person.
Who has been your greatest influence?
As a choirboy it would have been the choirmaster at Bangor Cathedral, and then I had two private teachers. As an adult the greatest influence would be my wife – she’s always there in the good and bad times and she’s very down to earth. She just tells me to get on with it. Maybe sometimes that’s what I need – a kick up the backside.
What is your most treasured possession?
I don’t want to say my children because they’re not my possessions really; I’m just looking after them until they are big enough to go into the big world. I don’t suppose I’ve got a treasured possession.
What trait do you most deplore in others?
Cut-throat ambition.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
At the moment it’s not too bad because I’ve lost about two stone.
What is your favourite book?
I’m in my Lee Child’s Jack Reacher phase.
What is your favourite film?
Brief Encounter and the Godfather films.
And your favourite piece of music?
My favourite classical music would be Rachmaninov’s 2nd Symphony, 2nd movement. My favourite album when I was a teenager was Deacon Blue’s Raintown; I probably did all my adolescent snogging to that one. As for a modern piece, it would be the music of Irving Berlin.
What is your favourite meal?
I’m a massive fan of Chinese food. A very close second would be proper roast beef with Yorkshire pudding.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
Judi Dench, Arsène Wenger, the late Cliff Morgan and Terry Wogan.
What is the nastiest thing anyone has ever said to you?
In my game you get a lot of people who feel, especially with social media, that it’s all right to say things like ‘You’re rubbish’.
What is your secret vice?
Wine. Both red and white. I love my wine.
Do you write thank-you notes?
I do, yes.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘That’s fantastic’ or ‘Amazing’ or something like that.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
At the moment I wish I had had dance lessons when I was six years old as opposed to starting at 30. But to be honest, I’m happy with my lot. If someone slipped £10m into my pocket, of course I’m sure that would enhance the quality of my life, but I’m more than happy with how things are.
Tell us one thing people might not know about you.
I can down a pint in four seconds. I also used to play county tennis.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
‘He really did like Christmas, honest’.
White Christmas runs until 3 January 2015 at the Dominion Theatre, London W1: 0845-200 7982, www.whitechristmasmusical.co.uk